Rotary kilns with uphill cooler tubes

ABSTRACT

A rotary kiln equipped with specially constructed means for supporting the outlet ends of uphill cooler tubes independently of the kiln shell is disclosed. This support means includes a tubular body encircling the kiln shell in spaced apart relationship. The outlet ends of the cooler tubes are connected to this tubular body which itself is independently supported for rotation with the kiln shell.

United States Patent 1191 Sylvest ROTARY KILNS WITH UPHILL COOLER TUBES [75] Inventor: Karl Jens Sylvest,

Copenhagen-Valby, Denmark [73] Assignee: F. L. Smidth & C0., Cresskill, NJ.

[22] Filed: July 21, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 273,795

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 3, 1971 Great Britain 36428/71 [52] US. Cl 432/80, 432/105, 432/103, 432/83, 34/134 [51] Int. Cl. F27b 7/38 [58] Field 61 Search 432/83, 80, 106, 117, 115, 432/26, 103, 105; 34/134, 135; 165/88; 34/127, 109

, [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,184,174 5/1916 Gilbert 432/103 1111 3,794,462 1451 Feb. 26, 1974 3,317,202 5/1967 Cates, Jr. et a1 432/103 3,502,139 3/1970 Anderson 1 432/83 2,348,446 5/1944 Becker 432/80 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 407,329 3/1934 Great Britain 432/80 64,404 4/ 1946 Denmark 432/ 105 Primary Examiner-John J Camby Assistant Exa miner-l-lenry C. Yuen Attorney, Agent, or FirmPennie & Edmonds 5 7] ABSTRACT A rotary kiln equipped with specially constructed means for supporting the outlet ends of uphill cooler tubes independently of the kiln shell is disclosed. This suppon means includes a tubular body encircling the kiln shell in spaced apart relationship. The outlet ends of the cooler tubes are connected to this tubular body which itself is independently supported for rotation with the kiln shell.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PMENIED FEB 2 6 i974 FIG.

FIG. 2

1 ROTARY KILNS WITH UIHILL COOLER TUBES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to rotary kilns of the type which are provided with up-hill cooler tubes arranged in planetary fashion about the kiln for the cooling of cement clinker or similar product of the kiln. With such kilns, the cooler tubes extend in encircling relationship along the kiln body which is positioned such that it has a slight upward incline in a direction opposite to the direction of the kiln product flow through the kiln body. Thus the kiln product moves slightly downward through the kiln and slightly upward through the cooler tubes. Such kilns are provided with outwardly projecting pipe stubs evenly distributed around the outlet or lower end portion of the kiln. Each pipe stub is-connected in communicating relationship to one end of a cooler tube. The kiln product passes from the kiln through the pipe stubs into the cooler tubes.

The opposite of free ends of the cooler tubes face the inlet end of the kiln. Because the direction of flow of the kiln product is upward in the cooler tubes, the cooler tubes are provided with transport devices for the kiln product, such as flights or other suitable devices, which are capable of conveying the kiln product upward through the slightly inclined cooler tubes.

Both ends of each cooler tube are generally supported by the kiln shell. With an up-hill cooler tube construction, the outlet ends of the cooler tubes are adjacent to a burning zone and, consequently, the outside temperature of the kiln shell in this area in spite of the inner lining is very high. Thus the kiln shell may be relatively soft in this area and subject to being deformed as a result of the forces to which it is subjected by the supported upper ends of the cooler tubes during the rotation of the kiln.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the teachings of this invention, the upper or outlet ends of up-hill cooler tubes are not connected directly to the kiln shell but are advantageously supported independently of the kiln. For this purpose specially constructed support means is provided. This means includes a tubular body or stay tube disposed in encircling spaced apart relationship to the kiln shell. The outlet ends of the cooler tubes are secured to the stay tube. The stay tube is independently supported on rotatable support means comprising a freely rotatable element or roller. Advantageously, a live ring or tire member is disposed about the stay tube in frictional contact with the freely rotatable element. With this arrangement, the weight of the outlet ends of the cooler tubes istransferred to the stay tube and live ring in such a way that the softer part of the kiln shell is relieved of any stress as a consequence of that weight. Thus the possibility of resulting kiln shell deformation is eliminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal elevation view of a lower end portion of a kiln provided with up-hill cooler tubes partially in section and partially broken away to show one embodiment of the improved support means according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1, the lowermost end of kiln shell 1 has a plurality of up-hill cooler tubes 2 in planetary fashion about the kiln shell 1. The inlet ends 2(a) of cooler tubes 2 communicate with the interior of kiln shell 1 as shown. The inlet ends of the cooler tubes are fixed by means of clamps 7. to a saddle plate 8, which is mounted on a ring 9 welded to the kiln shell. Adjacent their outlet ends 2(b) the cooler tubes are fixed to a tubular body or stay tube 3 by saddle plate 5. For this purpose saddle plate Sis welded to the stay tube and is provided with recesses 5(a) for receiving the outlet ends of the cooler tubes. The cooler tubes are held in recesses 5(a) by clamps 6. Stay tube 3 is reinforced by longitudinal ribs 4. A ring shaped plate 12 is welded to the outlet ends of cooler tubes 2 and to the stay tube 3 as shown. This plate 12 is connected in sealed relationship to one side of casing 13 by abutting flanges 12(a) and 13(a) respectively. The other side of casing 13 is also connected in sealed relationship to stay tube 3 by flange 13(b), as shown. The casing 13 acts to direct cooling air into cooler tubes 2 for a purpose well known in the art.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 2 the stay tube 3 encircles kiln shell 1 in spaced apart relationship thereto such that the stay tube 3 and kiln shell 1 have a common axis of rotation defined by the axis of kiln shell 1. The stay tube 3 projects axially beyond the cooler tubes ends where it carries a live tire or ring 10 supported by a rotatable means which in the construction shown comprises a freely rotatable element or live roller 11.

The ring 10 is live in the sense that it is mounted on stay tube 3 for rotational movement relative to stay tube 3. There is, thus, a slight radial clearance between the live ring 10 and the external surface of stay tube 3. This clearance is advantageous since it allows for expansion of the stay tube arising from overheating during kiln operation. However, it will be recognized that the tilt of the kiln may cause the loose fitting ring 10 to slide or move longitudinally relative to stay tube 10 during rotation. While frictional contact between the ring 10 and stay tube 3 is generally sufficient to prevent such movement live ring 10 may be held firmly against such longitudinal movement by conventional means well known to persons skilled in the art as, for example, by a rail (not shown) fixed to stay tube 3 and positioned in adjacent contacting relation to ring 10 on the down hill side thereof.

For the purpose of absorbing torsional forces developed between stay tube 3 and kiln shell 1 during rotation an energy absorption means is provided. This means includes, in the construction shown, a plurality of spoke-like members 14 interconnecting the kiln shell substantially the entire weight of stay tube 3 is borne by est areas of the shell adjacent the burning zone of the' kiln. Thus the possibility of shell deformation in these areas is substantially eliminated.

I claim:

1. In a rotary kiln having a kiln shell, a plurality of uphill cooler tubes arranged in a planetary fashion about the kiln shell, means for connecting the inlet ends of I each of the cooler tubes in communicating relationship with respect to the outlet end of the kiln, and means for supporting the outlet ends of the cooler tubes relative to the kiln shell, said outlet ends being positioned adjacent to a relatively high temperature burning portion of the kiln shell, the improvement which comprises:

a. a substantially tubular body disposed in substantially coaxial spaced apart relationship to the kiln shell encircling the kiln shell and supporting the outlet ends of the cooler tubes;

b. supporting means spaced from the high temperature burning zone of the kiln for independently supporting the tubular body at a position along the axis of the body to facilitate rotational movement of the kiln and cooler tubes thereby preventing distortion of the kiln shell at the high temperature burning portion; and

c. means interconnecting the kiln shell and the substantially tubular body to absorb at least a portion of the torsional forces developed between the tubular body and the kiln shell during rotation thereof.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 further including a live ring member mounted on the external surface of the tubular body and disposed in frictional contacting relation to said last mentioned support means.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said last mentioned support means comprises a freely rotatable element.

4. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein:

a. said tubular body has a portion extending axially beyond the outlet ends of the cooler tubes; and

b. said live ring member is mounted on said extension portion of the tubular body in contacting relation to said freely rotatable element.

5. The improvement according to claim 4 wherein said tubular body is fixed to the side of cooler tubes facing the kiln shell.

6. The improvement according to claim 1 further including energy absorption means for mounting the tubular body mounting the cooler tubes and the kiln shell relative to each other in substantially torsion free relationship.

7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein said energy absorption means comprises at least one spoke-like member connected between the kiln shell and tubular body in tangential relationship with respect to the kiln shell whereby said spoke-like members are subjected to purely tensile forces during rotation of the kiln.

8. In a rotary kiln having a shell, a plurality of uphill cooler tubes arranged in planetary fashion about the kiln shell, means for connecting the inlet ends of the cooler tubes in communicating relationship to the outlet end of the kiln, and means for supporting the outlet ends of the cooler tubes relative to the kiln shell, the improvement in combination therewith which comprises:

a. a tubular body disposed in encircling spaced apart relationship to the kiln shell for mounting the outlet ends of thecooler tubes fixed thereto;

b. a freely rotatable element supporting the tubular body independently of the kiln shell at a position spaced from the high temperature burning zone of the kiln along the axis of the body thereby preventing distortion of the kiln shell at said high temperature burning zone;

0. a live ring member mounted on the tubular body in frictional contacting relation to said freely rotatable element; and

d. at least one spoke-like member connected between the kiln shell and tubular body in substantially tangential relationship with respect to the kiln shell whereby each spoke-like member is subject to purely tensile forces during rotation of the kiln such that the kiln shell and the tubular bodygire mounted relative to each other in substantially torsion free relationship. 

1. In a rotary kiln having a kiln shell, a plurality of uphill cooler tubes arranged in A planetary fashion about the kiln shell, means for connecting the inlet ends of each of the cooler tubes in communicating relationship with respect to the outlet end of the kiln, and means for supporting the outlet ends of the cooler tubes relative to the kiln shell, said outlet ends being positioned adjacent to a relatively high temperature burning portion of the kiln shell, the improvement which comprises: a. a substantially tubular body disposed in substantially coaxial spaced apart relationship to the kiln shell encircling the kiln shell and supporting the outlet ends of the cooler tubes; b. supporting means spaced from the high temperature burning zone of the kiln for independently supporting the tubular body at a position along the axis of the body to facilitate rotational movement of the kiln and cooler tubes thereby preventing distortion of the kiln shell at the high temperature burning portion; and c. means interconnecting the kiln shell and the substantially tubular body to absorb at least a portion of the torsional forces developed between the tubular body and the kiln shell during rotation thereof.
 2. The improvement according to claim 1 further including a live ring member mounted on the external surface of the tubular body and disposed in frictional contacting relation to said last mentioned support means.
 3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said last mentioned support means comprises a freely rotatable element.
 4. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein: a. said tubular body has a portion extending axially beyond the outlet ends of the cooler tubes; and b. said live ring member is mounted on said extension portion of the tubular body in contacting relation to said freely rotatable element.
 5. The improvement according to claim 4 wherein said tubular body is fixed to the side of cooler tubes facing the kiln shell.
 6. The improvement according to claim 1 further including energy absorption means for mounting the tubular body mounting the cooler tubes and the kiln shell relative to each other in substantially torsion free relationship.
 7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein said energy absorption means comprises at least one spoke-like member connected between the kiln shell and tubular body in tangential relationship with respect to the kiln shell whereby said spoke-like members are subjected to purely tensile forces during rotation of the kiln.
 8. In a rotary kiln having a shell, a plurality of uphill cooler tubes arranged in planetary fashion about the kiln shell, means for connecting the inlet ends of the cooler tubes in communicating relationship to the outlet end of the kiln, and means for supporting the outlet ends of the cooler tubes relative to the kiln shell, the improvement in combination therewith which comprises: a. a tubular body disposed in encircling spaced apart relationship to the kiln shell for mounting the outlet ends of the cooler tubes fixed thereto; b. a freely rotatable element supporting the tubular body independently of the kiln shell at a position spaced from the high temperature burning zone of the kiln along the axis of the body thereby preventing distortion of the kiln shell at said high temperature burning zone; c. a live ring member mounted on the tubular body in frictional contacting relation to said freely rotatable element; and d. at least one spoke-like member connected between the kiln shell and tubular body in substantially tangential relationship with respect to the kiln shell whereby each spoke-like member is subject to purely tensile forces during rotation of the kiln such that the kiln shell and the tubular body are mounted relative to each other in substantially torsion free relationship. 